Nationally top-ranked Arkansas Tech dodged the biggest threat yet to its undefeated men’s basketball season on Thursday night by escaping the W.T. Watson Athletic Center in Magnolia with a 79-69 overtime win against the Southern Arkansas Muleriders.
Southern Arkansas missed a tip-in on the final play of regulation, sending the game to an extra period tied at 64-64.
Arkansas Tech (20-0 overall, 7-0 Gulf South Conference) took advantage of its second life, holding SAU to 1-of-3 shooting from the field and forcing the Muleriders into two turnovers in overtime.
The Wonder Boys scored the first four points of the bonus five minutes and never looked back as they secured the 21st 20-win season in Tech men’s basketball history.
The 20-game winning streak matches the fourth-longest ever by the Wonder Boys.
Renard Allen had a career-high 28 points for Tech. Laithe Massey (photographed) had 14 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists.
Jeremy Dunbar added 13 points and eight rebounds and Brandon Friedel netted 10 points for the Wonder Boys.
David Noble led SAU (9-12, 4-4) with 24 points.
The Wonder Boys will host Arkansas-Monticello at 6 p.m. Saturday. The ticket office and doors at Tucker Coliseum will open at 3 p.m. Those with a valid Tech identification card will be admitted free.
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